Women's lingerie

[astuffedshirt_perv]

Women's clothing in general and lingerie in particular is very confusing for me. There are names upon names that all have meanings that are lost on me. Here, a former lingerie saleslady lays out the different items complete with pictures, which could be useful to a writer.

Panty Guide
Bra & Accessory Guide

Anyone have a guide for dresses?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Anyone have a guide for dresses?

Vogue magazine .

 

[Handley_Page]

Panty Guide
Bra & Accessory Guide

Anyone have a guide for dresses?

Almost any catalogue of clothes;
the V&A museum
??

 

[vanmyers86]

A good fashion history text or visual dictionary will help. I have also found that older women who sew/make clothes are an invaluable resource.

 

[SimonDoom]

Another source is online catalogs, like this one at Figleaves, which offers a wide variety of lingerie: https://www.figleaves.com/uk/

It's British, so it uses British terms, but most of them work in the US as well.

 

[Handley_Page]

Another source is online catalogs, like this one at Figleaves, which offers a wide variety of lingerie: https://www.figleaves.com/uk/

It's British, so it uses British terms, but most of them work in the US as well.

I believe that "Maidenform" is American. See here:

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

I believe that "Maidenform" is American. See here:

I contend that the maiden form et al catalogs are not terribly useful because they lack a descriptions. From the pics, hard to tell the difference between the bras, and who they would be good for. That is why I liked the ones I linked:

"The Demi Recommended Cup Sizes: A-DD
Purpose: Probably the most basic and popular style of bra, this piece is intended to support a breast with as much coverage as possible without covering the entire breast. "

Whereas the catalog just has a link with a bunch of demi bras.

So for example, my heroine is a slim, short, athletic woman. She would look great in an A-line skirt, yes or no? What skirts match with that body type?

 

[SamScribble]

A long, long time ago, I scored a gig writing copy for one of the major underfashion manufacturers. Of course, in order to write knowledgeably, I needed one (or more) of the house models to give me a private showing. It was a tough job but someone had to do it.

 

[NotWise]

I contend that the maiden form et al catalogs are not terribly useful because they lack a descriptions. From the pics, hard to tell the difference between the bras, and who they would be good for. That is why I liked the ones I linked:

"The Demi Recommended Cup Sizes: A-DD
Purpose: Probably the most basic and popular style of bra, this piece is intended to support a breast with as much coverage as possible without covering the entire breast. "

Whereas the catalog just has a link with a bunch of demi bras.

So for example, my heroine is a slim, short, athletic woman. She would look great in an A-line skirt, yes or no? What skirts match with that body type?

I'll contend that unusual vocabulary doesn't matter. If you don't know words for the specific type of lingerie, then the words will probably also be lost on most of your male readers. For instance, I don't know what an A-line skirt is, and if you describe it that way in your story, then it will describe nothing to me.

Wouldn't it be better to describe the woman rather than trying to describe her clothes?

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Wouldn't it be better to describe the woman rather than trying to describe her clothes?

That's what I think. But i might be in the minority, since i dont describe my characters in much physical detail anyway.

 

[NotWise]

That's what I think. But i might be in the minority, since i dont describe my characters in much physical detail anyway.

Then don't describe her appearance. Maybe describe the way she (or you) moves, and how that nameless piece of fabric feels under your (or his) touch.

 

[SamScribble]

Wouldn't it be better to describe the woman rather than trying to describe her clothes?

In a sense, yes. I think characters usually define themselves by what they do and what they think (or appear to think).

That said, in a recent story - https://www.literotica.com/s/an-actress-prepares-1 - I did describe the actress's clothes because it was through the clothes she selected that she built her character.

 

[Voboy]

Umm, why not just ask a knowledgeable woman? Or two? Or three?

 

[NotWise]

In a sense, yes. I think characters usually define themselves by what they do and what they think (or appear to think).

That said, in a recent story - https://www.literotica.com/s/an-actress-prepares-1 - I did describe the actress's clothes because it was through the clothes she selected that she built her character.

I've been reading the biography of Louise Brooks. As a young woman, she definitely expressed herself through her choice of clothing -- both on and off screen. Those weren't undergarments.

The story I'm nearly done writing features some undergarments -- two satin corsets and a bustier on three different women. I didn't use manufacturers' descriptions for the clothing. A lot of that was because most of the readers won't know the difference, and part of it was because the makers aren't at all consistent in their terminology. There seems to be an enormous overlap between teddies, bustiers, corsets, girdles and more modern, generic "form control" garments.

I imagine there's a fetish audience that would (at least in their head) distinguish between all of those. What's sexier, a corset or a bustier? Only the fetishist would know. Without trying to appeal to a specific fetish, maybe it's better to describe rather than using obscure vocabulary.

 

[ElectricBlue]

A long, long time ago, I scored a gig writing copy for one of the major underfashion manufacturers. Of course, in order to write knowledgeably, I needed one (or more) of the house models to give me a private showing. It was a tough job but someone had to do it.

And the subsequent story is where, exactly?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Wouldn't it be better to describe the woman rather than trying to describe her clothes?

Part of the portrayal of a woman IS in her choice of clothes, I reckon. If it's something that guides your own response to women (which it is for me) then it's easy to write about. If it means nothing to you, then you can't write much about fashion/clothing without it feeling forced.

There's no doubt in any of my stories what my women are wearing - I blame my daughter, who was a fashionista when she was younger, and did some modelling for a while.

 

[oggbashan]

Part of the problem about describing clothes is that the terms (and sizes) do not apply across all English speaking nations.

The other problem is that the overblown catalogue description sounds stupid when the item has been in a woman's wardrobe for a few weeks.

 

[ElectricBlue]

It also tells something about the narrator and the story-style, in how much detail, and in which words the undies are described.

Yes, it's a quick cultural give away. I'll use "knickers" quite freely, because that usage is very common in England and Australia, amongst all ages of women; but will also use "panties" because that's common here too, more so with younger women.